Supporting protected collection of measurement data in a communication network

Abstract

There are provided methods and corresponding systems for supporting protected collection of measurement data, representative of usage of network capabilities within a communication network, related to at least two logical and/or physical entities or nodes, also referred to as managed entities, managed by a management system associated with the communication network. By way of example, there is provided a method comprising the step of combining measurement data related to a set of at least two of the managed entities according to a controllable and/or detectable pattern. The controllable pattern is defining at least the order of managed entities in which the combining of measurement data is to be performed. The method also comprises enabling the combined measurement data to be collected for validation of existence of the controllable pattern in the combined measurement data.

1 . A method for supporting protected collection of measurement data, representative of usage of network capabilities within a communication network, related to at least two logical and/or physical entities or nodes, also referred to as managed entities, managed by a management system associated with the communication network, wherein said method comprises:
 combining measurement data related to a set of at least two of said managed entities according to a controllable pattern, said pattern defining at least the order of managed entities in which the combining of measurement data is to be performed; and   enabling the combined measurement data to be collected for validation of existence of the controllable pattern in the combined measurement data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of combining measurement data comprises cryptographically combining measurement data related to said set of at least two of said managed entities according to said controllable pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of enabling the combined measurement data to be collected for validation comprises preparing the combined measurement data for transfer towards a measurement collection system for enabling validation of existence of the controllable pattern in the combined measurement data, wherein said step of enabling the combined measurement data to be collected for validation comprises sending the combined measurement data to said measurement collection system via said management system. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method is performed by a combiner/weaver/controller arranged as a controlling proxy between at least a subset of said managed entities and said management system. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said management system and said managed entities are network customer-controlled, whereas said weaver or combiner is independently controlled by a measurement collection system for enabling network customer-independent validation of measurement data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the weaver or combiner cryptographically combines hashed measurement data related to at least one managed entity of said set of at least two managed entities with hashed measurement data related to at least one other managed entity of said set of at least two managed entities, wherein the weaver or combiner cryptographically combines hashed measurement data by performing hashing of i) the hashed measurement data related to at least one managed entity of said set of at least two managed entities and ii) the hashed measurement data related to at least one other managed entity of said set of at least two managed entities. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method is performed by a managed entity being part of said set of at least two of said managed entities from which measurement data is to be combined, wherein the managed entity cryptographically combines hashed measurement data related to at least one other managed entity of said set of at least two managed entities with hashed measurement data related to the managed entity. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the managed entity cryptographically combines hashed measurement data by performing hashing of i) hashed measurement data related to at least one other managed entity of said set of at least two managed entities and ii) hashed measurement data related to the managed entity to produce a combined hash for validation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the managed entity sends the combined hash to a controlling proxy arranged between at least a subset of said managed entities and said management system, enabling the controlling proxy to send the combined hash to a measurement collection system for validation of existence of the controllable pattern in the combined hash and/or send the combined hash to a next managed entity defined by said order of managed entities in which the combining of measurement data is to be performed for updating the combined hash. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the managed entity digitally signs the combined hash. 
     
     
         15 .- 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method for supporting protected collection of measurement data, representative of usage of network capabilities within a communication network, related to at least two logical and/or physical entities or nodes, also referred to as managed entities, managed by a management system associated with the communication network, wherein said method comprises:
 receiving combined measurement data related to a set of at least two of said managed entities, and   checking existence of a controllable pattern in the combined measurement data to enable detection of missing or otherwise modified measurement data due to errors or fraudulent behavior, said controllable pattern defining at least the order of managed entities in which combining of measurement data is to be performed.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said method further comprises controlling the controllable pattern, and sending information representative of said controllable pattern to a combiner/weaver/controller arranged as a controlling proxy between at least a subset of said managed entities and said management system to enable said weaver or combiner to determine said controllable pattern and assist or participate in combining measurement data related to said set of at least two of said managed entities. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said controllable pattern is a randomly generated pattern defining the order of managed entities in which the combining of measurement data is to be performed. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of checking existence of said controllable pattern in said combined measurement data is performed by a validation system, which also receives corresponding measurement data related to said set of at least two of said managed entities, and comprises performing a comparison based on i) the received combined measurement data and ii) the corresponding measurement data, which is combined locally by the validation system. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the receiving step is based on receiving cryptographically combined measurement data related to a set of at least two of said managed entities, and the checking step is based on checking existence of a controllable pattern in the cryptographically combined measurement data. 
     
     
         29 .- 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A system configured to support protected collection of measurement data, representative of usage of network capabilities within a communication network, related to at least two logical and/or physical entities or nodes, also referred to as managed entities, managed by a management system associated with the communication network,
 wherein said system is configured to combine measurement data related to a set of at least two of said managed entities according to a controllable pattern, said controllable pattern defining at least the order of managed entities in which the combining of measurement data is to be performed; and   wherein said system is configured to enable the combined measurement data to be collected for validation of existence of the controllable pattern in the combined measurement data.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein said system is configured to cryptographically combine measurement data related to said set of at least two of said managed entities according to said controllable pattern. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein said system is configured to prepare the combined measurement data for transfer towards a measurement collection system for enabling validation of existence of the controllable pattern in the combined measurement data. 
     
     
         37 . A network entity arranged between at least a subset of said managed entities and said management system, said network entity comprising a system configured to support protected collection of measurement data according to  claim 34 . 
     
     
         38 .- 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program for supporting, when executed by at least one processor, protected collection of measurement data, representative of usage of network capabilities within a communication network, related to at least two logical and/or physical entities or nodes, also referred to as managed entities, managed by a management system associated with the communication network, the computer program when executed by the at least one processor causing the system to:
 combine measurement data related to a set of at least two of said managed entities according to a controllable pattern, said controllable pattern defining at least the order of managed entities in which the combining of measurement data is to be performed; and   enable the combined measurement data to be collected for validation of existence of the controllable pattern in the combined measurement data.   
     
     
         50 .- 52 . (canceled)